Skarper’s Clip-On Motor Turns a Regular Bike Into an Ebike

It's easy to connect the unit to the frame. The rear section slots onto the DiskDrive at two points, and the front end clips securely into a small frame accessory. Wait for the status light to come on and press the only button on the unit.

Riding the backstreets and gentle hills of north London, I was impressed by the help offered by the Skarper and the instantaneous pull I felt as soon as I began to pedal. First-time ebike riders will not be freaked out by the assistance. It works just like an ebike should, helping when you need it, but not making you feel like you are on a moped.

The Eco and Max modes offer a solution to avoid getting sweaty on a daily commute, but full power was more enjoyable. This is a huge accomplishment since it is a small unit.

I was surprised that the commuter bike was more fun to ride than the gravel bike. It felt like an infinitely superior pay-per-ride city bike. The pro design is a bike that is fast, fun, and engaging to ride. It's the bike that you hurtle to work on, under your own steam, and then take the strain and go home.

There is a prototype that needs some tweaking. The bearings pulled a little too forcefully when turning through tight corners in my tests, and it made a bit of a racket when I let a BMX rider jump with it at a trade show. I was able to see the potential after my short ride on this model.

The price point is questionable.

The debate about cost is not going to go away. The Skarper is expected to retail for over $1,000, which is a lot of money for a casual cyclist. There are 577 complete e bikes for sale on Amazon. How can the company justify such a large expenditure?

Darwood says there is a value fallacy in buying an e bike. It costs more to build a motor, battery, and bike with un branded parts than it does to build one with branded parts.

If you buy from a leading manufacturer such as Specialized, Giant, or Trek, there is almost nothing available for less than $2,500. Go to a bike shop, spend £1,000 on a hybrid commuter bike with quality components, and then purchase a Skarper.

It is an awful lot of work for the average bike commuter to do. If your bike has disc brakes, you can install the Skarper on it, even if you don't own a new bike.